ProxAI vs Chimlo
Comprehensive feature analysis, ratings breakdown, platform compatibility, and community review comparison.

ProxAI
Hard budget caps for LLM APIs — one base_url change
Detailed Feature Comparison Matrix
Compare Other Tools| Dimension | ProxAI | Chimlo |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Category | Open Source | Open Source |
| Community Rating | No ratings(0 reviews) | No ratings(0 reviews) |
| Community Upvotes | 6 votes | 66 votes |
| Supported Platforms | Web | Web |
| Tags & Focus | #Developer Tools#GitHub#Artificial Intelligence#Open Source | #OpenAI Day#Menu Bar Apps#GitHub#Apple#Open Source |
| Maker / Company | Independent Developer | Independent Developer |
| Platform Verification | Community Listing | Community Listing |
About ProxAI
ProxAI is a transparent reverse proxy designed to enforce hard hourly and daily spending caps per LLM API client. With a simple change of just one base_url and no SDK required, developers can seamlessly protect their budgets against runaway LLM costs.
The tool works out-of-the-box with major providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, Groq, DeepSeek, and 5 others. If a client goes over its set cap, ProxAI immediately responds with a 429 status code before the upstream provider is ever called, ensuring that the worst-case scenario is your predefined cap rather than an unexpected credit card bill.
ProxAI is fully open-source (licensed under AGPL-3.0) and highly portable. It can be self-hosted as a single Go binary or a lightweight ~10 MB Docker image supporting both amd64 and arm64 architectures with zero telemetry. Alternatively, users can take advantage of the hosted beta version available at proxai.eu, which is free and requires no credit card.
Pros of ProxAI
- Enforces hard hourly and daily spending caps per LLM API client
- Requires only a single base_url change with no SDK needed
- Supports OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, Groq, DeepSeek, and 5 additional providers
- Blocks requests exceeding the cap (returning 429) before calling upstream
- Highly self-hostable as a single Go binary or lightweight ~10 MB Docker image with zero telemetry
Cons of ProxAI
- Hosted version is currently in beta
- Open-source license is AGPL-3.0, which may have specific compliance requirements for commercial adaptations
- Limited to the specific providers and features outlined in the current tool scope
Frequently Asked Questions
How does ProxAI enforce spending caps?
ProxAI acts as a transparent reverse proxy. When a client makes a request, it checks the hourly or daily spending limits. If the cap is exceeded, it immediately returns a 429 status code before the upstream API is ever called.
Do I need to install a special SDK to use ProxAI?
No SDK is required. You only need to change a single base_url in your existing configuration to route your requests through ProxAI.
Which LLM providers are supported?
ProxAI supports OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, Groq, DeepSeek, and 5 additional providers.
Can I self-host ProxAI?
Yes, ProxAI is fully self-hostable. It is available as a single Go binary or a lightweight ~10 MB Docker image (supporting amd64 and arm64) with zero telemetry, licensed under AGPL-3.0.
About Chimlo
Chimlo is a free, open-source macOS application designed to streamline your workflow with AI agents like Codex and Claude Code by placing them directly in your MacBook's notch. Instead of hunting through terminal windows, Chimlo allows you to monitor your agents' states at a glance.
With Chimlo, you can instantly see if your agents are working, waiting, finished, or failed. The app also enables you to answer Claude Code questions and review permission requests directly from your screen's notch, keeping you focused and productive. You can also monitor your provider usage quickly.
In addition to tracking AI agents, Chimlo offers built-in controls for system media, volume, and brightness. These features are paired with animated pixel companions that visually reflect each state, making it easy to track operations with a simple glance.
Pros of Chimlo
- Free and open-source macOS application.
- Brings Codex and Claude Code tracking directly into your MacBook notch.
- Allows you to answer Claude Code questions and review permissions without hunting through terminal windows.
- Includes built-in media, volume, and brightness controls with animated pixel companions.
Cons of Chimlo
- Exclusively available for macOS users with a MacBook notch.
- Integrations are limited specifically to Codex and Claude Code.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chimlo?
Chimlo is a free and open-source macOS app that integrates Codex and Claude Code tracking directly into your MacBook's notch, allowing you to monitor AI agents and manage system controls seamlessly.
How does Chimlo help with AI agent tracking?
Chimlo lets you see whether your AI agents are working, waiting, finished, or failed. It also allows you to answer Claude Code questions, review permission requests, and check provider usage directly from the notch without using terminal windows.
Does Chimlo offer any non-AI features?
Yes, Chimlo also handles system media, volume, and brightness controls. It features animated pixel companions that change based on the active state to make them easy to spot.
Which operating systems are supported by Chimlo?
Chimlo is designed specifically as a macOS application to utilize the MacBook notch and menu bar.
